Casino public hearing to be held Sept. 24 in Ithaca

This map shows the three regions that are eligible for a total of four destination gambling resorts. At least one facility must be sited in each region, with one region possibly getting a second.
(Photo:
NEW YORK STATE GAMING COMMISSION PHOTO
)

Or perhaps you're infuriated by the idea of having a casino in your backyard.

Either way, you will have the opportunity to give your opinion to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board late next month.

A public hearing for the Eastern Southern Tier region, which has attracted two Southern Tier casino bidders and one in the Finger Lakes, will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 24 at The Hotel Ithaca, located at 222 S. Cayuga St. in Ithaca.

In each region — the Capital region's public hearing is Sept. 22, while the Hudson Valley/Catskills event is Sept. 23 — the board said it selected large, accessible venues located in counties and municipalities where no casino applicants have proposals.

Ithaca is about halfway between Binghamton and Tyre, Seneca County, where Rochester-based Wilmorite is proposing a $425 million facility called Lago Resort & Casino.

The Walsh family is the managing partner of the planned Traditions Resort & Casino in the Town of Union. The family is proposing a minimum capital investment of $170 million for the project's first phase, which includes the casino floor, a two-story parking garage and two large outdoor terraces. The second phase — the addition of 160 hotel rooms — would have a minimum capital investment of $21 million.

Tioga Downs, an existing racino in Nichols, Tioga County, is planning a $92 million expansion project. An expanded Tioga Downs would have 1,000 slot machines, 50 table games and a 136-room hotel. As of June 20, Tioga Downs had invested nearly $45 million in the existing racino, according to its application filed with the state.

While there are just three bidders in the Eastern Southern Tier region, there are four in the Capital region and nine in the Catskills/Hudson Valley.

At its meeting Thursday evening, the Gaming Facility Location Board voted to disqualify Florida Acquisition Corp., which had planned a casino in Montgomery County, for submitting an incomplete application to the state. That leaves the Capital region with four remaining bids.

The board also announced that casino applicants will make public presentations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 8 and Sept. 9 at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. The presentations will be open to the public and streamed online.

Each applicant will be expected to give a 45-minute presentation about their proposal and allow 15 minutes for questions from the board.

Selections are expected in the early fall. The state can issue up to four casino licenses upstate, with at least one facility in each of the three eligible regions.